Book Now To Fly To Europe, Cruise Back

Travel Q&A

September 14, 2003|By JEAN ALLEN Sun-Sentinel

Q: I am considering a trip to Europe this fall, using frequent flyer miles to get there. Then I'd like to come back on a ship. I'm looking for a repositioning cruise aboard one of the ships returning to Florida from a summer in Europe. I did this once before and enjoyed it. Suggestions? -- M.R., Miramar, Fla.

A: Great idea, and this is a good year to do it. A fleet of ships, including several new ones, is scheduled to arrive in Port Everglades, Port of Miami and Port Canaveral this fall and winter. The port of arrival is likely the ship's home for the winter season.

To board in Europe for the Atlantic crossing, make reservations as soon as possible, because many ships offer deep bargains for early bookings.

Most will arrive at Port Everglades; most of Miami's cruise fleet remains here year-round. According to Cruise Lines International Association, these ships are calling there this winter:

* Making the biggest splash will be Cunard Line's Queen Mary 2, the largest, most expensive passenger liner ever built. The ship sails from Southampton, England, arriving at Port Everglades on Jan. 26. But don't get excited about QM2's Atlantic crossing: It's already sold out.

* Also making its first appearance in Florida will be Costa Mediterranea, largest of Costa Cruises' eight ships. After a series of Mediterranean cruises, the 16-day voyage sails Nov. 5 from Genoa, Italy, to Port Everglades. The Costa Atlantica departs Genoa on Dec. 5 for a 16-day crossing to Port Everglades. Both ships will call at European and Caribbean ports.

* Holland America Line's Oosterdam sails from Rotterdam to Port Everglades, arriving Dec. 3. This is the newest and, at 85,000 tons, the largest ship of the line.

* Celebrity Cruises' ship Millennium departs Barcelona, Spain, on Oct. 26 for a 14-day sailing to Port Everglades. Crystal Cruises' newest ship, Serenity, arrives at Port Everglades on Nov. 17 from Lisbon, Portugal, with a stop in Nassau, Bahamas. This first new Crystal Cruises ship to be built in eight years debuted in June.

* Oceania Cruises' Regatta, now cruising out of Barcelona, sails from Lisbon on Oct. 14 for the 14-day crossing to Miami. Or, board in Barcelona 16 days earlier and take a Mediterranean cruise that stops in Lisbon, then on to Miami, a total of 30 days.

* Radisson Seven Seas Cruises' Seven Seas Voyager departs Las Palmas, Canary Islands, on Nov. 9, for nine days to Port Everglades, arriving Nov. 30. This will be the first visit to the United States for the 700-passenger, all-suite Voyager, which has been cruising in the Baltic and Mediterranean since a March christening in Monaco.